Do People Still Read Blogs in 2024?
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A lot of time a lot of people spend a lot of time thinking about starting a blog. Or maybe you're overthinking about starting a blog because then doubts start to creep in and make you wonder, is it even worth it, do people still read blogs, or is it completely dead already?
So, do people still read blogs in 2024?
Yes, people still read blogs in 2024! In fact, blogging is in some ways more popular than ever. To prove it to you, let’s get into some of the most impressive stats about blogging.
There are more than 2.5 billion blog posts published every year.
There are more than 600 million blogs on the Internet.
77% of people who use the internet read blogs.
80% of bloggers are driving strong results.
There are 31 million active bloggers posting at least once a month in the U.S.
From 2023 to 2027, the global content marketing industry is expected to grow by $584 billion.
68% of online experiences start with a search engine.
So clearly, blogging is still alive and well!
Sources: Web Tribunal, Orbit Media, Social Media Today, BrightEdge, Statista, ReportLinker
Why people read blogs
Judging from the lovely stats above, blogging is clearly still relevant. But why exactly do people read blogs? Well, some of the main reasons are:
To learn something new: According to a study by HubSpot, 62% of people say they read blogs because they want to learn something. People are constantly on the Internet for information. Think about how many times in a day you take out your phone and ask Google for something, whether it's directions to find a new restaurant, an answer to a question, or something else. We do it so much nowadays that we almost don't even realize we're doing it.
To keep up with the news: People get their news from all sorts of places nowadays, including blogs. In fact, roughly 42% of people read blogs to keep up with the news or trends.
To be entertained: Well, people usually associate entertainment With things like TV, YouTube, and TikTok, people also look to blogs for entertainment! In fact, in that same HubSpot study, about 51% of people also said that they read blogs for entertainment.
Is blogging worth it, and why?
Yes, blogging is totally worth it!
Sure, it takes time and effort to create killer content, but the payoff is worth it. So, our advice if you're on the fence about starting a blog? Go for it! Here are some of the benefits you can get from blogging.
Blogging drives traffic to your website
The first benefit people tend to think of when it comes to blogging for business is that it can actually do wonders for your website traffic. This is for good reason because businesses that hop on the blogging train tend to get about 55% more visitors to their websites than those that don't.
Here's why — when you regularly update your blog with posts answering questions that your audience is asking on the Internet, you become a resource that attracts new visitors every single day.
Think of each blog post as a little piece of magnet pulling people towards your website. The more questions you answer, the more traffic you have the potential to get. And more eyeballs on your site means more chances to turn those visitors into loyal customers.
Blogging helps you get more leads
Blogging can also turn into a goldmine for generating leads for your business. In fact, businesses that blog see their monthly leads rise by more than 126%.
And that makes sense. Blogging can get you more website traffic, and more traffic generally translates to more potential for qualified leads and sales.
Here’s an example of how it generally works.
Imagine a health coach specializing in holistic wellness. Through their blog, they consistently share informative articles on topics such as nutrition, exercise routines, stress management, and healthy lifestyle habits.
A potential lead struggling with weight loss and searching for sustainable solutions comes across one of the coach's blog posts on mindful eating techniques. Impressed by the practical advice provided, this person decides to explore more content on the coach's website, eventually opting in to receive a free guide on 10-minute recipes. As the lead engages further with the coach's content and resources, they develop trust in the coach's expertise and approach. When the time comes to seek professional guidance for their health journey, who do you think this person is going to go to?
Blogging results tend to be long-term
One of the coolest things about blogging is that it's like the gift that keeps on giving – seriously! Unlike some of those short-lived social media posts that disappear after a day or two, blog posts have serious staying power.
You write a blog post today, and guess what? It could still attract readers and drive traffic to your site months, even years, from now on. You’re essentially building up a library of valuable content that keeps on working for you down the road.
So, sure, blogging might not always bring instant gratification, but the beauty of it is in the long-term results. Get to it!
Blogging can help your audience
One of the best parts about blogging is how it allows you to help your audience for free. There’s a lot of bad information on the Internet that can even hurt people in the long run. But when you become a great source of information, whether it’s in their health, business, relationships, or something else, you can make a big impact on them.
Every time you hit publish on a new blog post, you're potentially solving a problem, answering a burning question, or just brightening someone's day. Whether or not that person becomes a customer, it can be rewarding to help your readers with content they can trust.
So, don't underestimate the power of a blog.
Blogging helps you grow your email list
Alright, let's talk about how blogging can be your secret weapon for growing that email list of yours. When you're releasing great content on your blog, you're not just providing value – you're also giving people a reason to stick around and hear more from you.
Every time you hit publish on a killer blog post, you're creating an opportunity to capture those readers' interest and turn them into subscribers. And you can do this more effectively by sprinkling calls to action throughout your blog post, inviting readers to join your email list for more helpful content, hilarious stories, or whatever else you've got up your sleeve.
Plus, when you consistently deliver value through your blog, you're building trust with your audience. And people are way more likely to hand over their email addresses (which are like gold these days!) to someone they trust.
Blogs are easy to repurpose
One of the best things about blogs is that they are possibly the type of content that is easiest to repurpose, which will save you a ton of time and effort.
Think about it, you spend a few hours writing a blog (or outsourcing the writing to someone else) and you’ll have the bones you need for other types of content. You won’t have to repeat the planning, research, and writing that went into creating a blog post. You’ll have what you need to create other types of content, whether that’s Instagram content, Pinterest pins, infographics, YouTube videos, a podcast script, or something else. There are so many possibilities.
Check out this blog post on how to repurpose blog content if you want to know more.
Blogging helps you build trust in your industry
Let's talk about one of the superpowers of blogging — showcasing your expertise. When you're consistently putting out valuable content on your blog, you're not just shouting into the void (although it may seem that way in the beginning) – you're giving people a reason to trust you.
See, people want to work with people they trust. How can they possibly trust you if you’re not providing any free value for them so they can see what you do in action?
They can’t.
BUT when you're showing up on your blog, delivering value, and being authentic, you're showing that you’re not just ANYONE selling on the Internet. You’re showing that you know your stuff.
How to grow a blog in 2024
While we know that blogging is still very relevant and useful, we also know that plenty of people try out blogging for a little while, only to give it up a few months later. Because like with everything else in life, there are some strategies that are going to help you become successful and some strategies that are going to waste your time.
While we have another blog post breaking down a ton of different methods you can use to grow your blog, Let’s go over some of the most important ones here.
Learn about SEO
It’s simple — if you don’t write with SEO in mind, the likelihood that search engines like Google are going to pick up and push out your articles is very low. And listen, there was a time when you really didn't have to write with SEO in mind, and as long as you wrote a pretty good blog post, you had a pretty good chance of getting at least some search traffic. But that was at a time when the Internet was still relatively bare, and not every topic had been covered to the full extent.
In 2024, things are completely different. Whatever blog idea you have has probably been done in some shape or form already. Or maybe even 20 times before. So… you just have to make it better.
But what does that mean? And how does that relate to SEO?
A lot of people complicate what SEO really is. But the gist of it is that Google wants to push out the best content there is. Content that is valuable, written by a reliable source, and covers what people are searching for. So to optimize your content for search engines, you need to make your content something that Google likes.
To make content that is valuable, you need to fully flesh out the topic, use sources to cover your claims, and write it in an engaging way so that people actually want to read it!
To make Google view you as a reliable source, the main thing you need is backlinks. Backlinks or inbound links are links to your website by other websites and what this tells Google is that other people know who you are and are possibly using YOU as a source of information. You can have the absolute best content out there, but if you have zero backlinks to your website, you’re probably not going to rank for anything.
To make content that people are searching for, you need to find and create content around keywords people are searching for (related to your business). I’m going to be writing a blog about this topic very soon, so if you need a deeper dive into this, keep your eyes open for it!
Promote on other channels (wherever you have an audience)
Promoting your blog on other channels where you already have an audience is one of the smartest ways to grow your blog. If you’ve built a following on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or through your email list, why not leverage that audience to drive traffic to your blog? These are people who already like what you’re sharing, so they’re more likely to engage with your blog content, too.
Not only does this get more eyeballs to your posts, but those readers may end up sharing your content with others.
And you can even promote your content to people who aren’t in your current audience by doing guest posts, collaborating with influencers, or participating in niche communities. It's all about finding new ways to spread the word!
Write consistently
While quality is better than quantity when it comes to blogging (and most other things), the reality is that you need to have both to increase the likelihood of success.
There are going to be some blogs that work and some that don’t, so the more valuable blogs you have, the more chances you have to write a winner. But that doesn’t mean that a blog post that doesn’t get a lot of traffic is useless. All good content helps make you look more reliable to Google and can contribute to the amount of traffic your entire website gets.
This is why writing consistently and often matters a lot when it comes to having success with your blog. Let’s just say you’ve been writing a blog a week for two years. You would then have 100 blogs! Most likely, some of your blogs are going to be getting little to no organic traffic, some will be getting medium size traffic, and a few will be getting a lot of traffic. When you add it all up though, you might be getting hundreds or even thousands of views in total.
And the more views your blog gets, the more leads you get, the more sales your business gets!
FAQs
What has replaced blogging?
As you can see, blogging is still alive and well. But there are plenty of content strategies businesses use instead of blogging, or in conjunction with blogging. Some examples include YouTube videos, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, Podcasts, and more.
Is blogging dead?
No! Blogging isn’t dead at all. In fact, it’s expected to grow by $584 billion dollars from 2023 to 2027. And currently, there are more than 2.5 billion blog posts being published on the Internet every year.
Who writes blogs?
Pretty much anyone can write a blog—whether it's people sharing personal stories, businesses promoting their offers, or experts giving advice. You can find everyone from hobbyists to influencers writing about all kinds of topics.
How to find blogs to read
If you're looking for blogs, just start with a quick Google search using queries about what you're interested in. You can also check out social media—Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn often feature trending blogs.
Want to learn more?
And hopefully, this blog has convinced you that blogging is still very much relevant in 2024. But do you want to learn more? Here are some blogs that can help:
How to repurpose your blog content
How to write blog posts faster
Why SEO is important for business
Blogging vs social media: Which is better?
Storytelling marketing statistics
Marketing without social media
